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Updated: Feb 11, 2026
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Investigations on Alterations of Hippocampal Circuit Function Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: November 19, 2012
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Training in Goal-Oriented Attention Self-Regulation Improves Executive Functioning in Veterans with Chronic Traumatic
Tatjana Novakovic-Agopian1,2,3, Erica Kornblith1, Gary Abrams1,2
11 Veterans Administration Medical Center , San Francisco, California.
Journal of Neurotrauma
|May 3, 2018
Summary
Cognitive rehabilitation using Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation (GOALS) training significantly improved executive function and emotional regulation in veterans with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). This attention regulation training offers a promising intervention for TBI recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently causes executive control deficits, impacting daily functioning.
- Effective interventions for these cognitive impairments in military veterans remain limited.
- Previous research demonstrated the efficacy of Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation (GOALS) training in civilian brain injury populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of GOALS cognitive rehabilitation training for military veterans with chronic TBI.
- To assess improvements in attention, executive function, and emotional regulation following GOALS training.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 33 veterans with chronic TBI and executive dysfunction.
- Participants received either 5 weeks of manualized GOALS training or Brain-Health Education (BHE), matched for time and intensity.
- Evaluator-blinded assessments included neuropsychological tests, complex functional task performance, and emotional regulation self-reports.
Main Results:
- GOALS training led to significant improvements in overall complex attention/executive function composite neuropsychological performance (p=0.01).
- Participants also showed significant gains in overall complex functional task performance (p=0.01) post-GOALS training.
- Emotional regulation, measured by the Profile of Mood States Confusion Score, significantly improved after GOALS training (p=0.02).
Conclusions:
- Cognitive rehabilitation through GOALS training is effective in improving executive control and functional performance in veterans with chronic TBI.
- Attention regulation training targeting self-defined goals can enhance cognitive and emotional regulation.
- These findings suggest GOALS training as a viable treatment for improving outcomes in veterans with TBI.
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